eBay tells Michael Jackson scalpers to beat it

Michael Jackson memorial service tickets a hot but unwanted item on eBay and Craigslist (Getty Images)

Michael Jackson fanatics who are determined to attend the superstar’s memorial service in Los Angeles tomorrow can forget about buying scalped tickets on eBay.

The San Jose online marketplace banned their sale today, calling it inappropriate.

However, tickets for the King of Pop’s celebration continued to slip through the blockade this afternoon, if only temporarily. People would post them for a few minutes, priced for as much as $30,000, only to have eBay’s staff remove them after a few minutes.

The public’s fascination with Jackson, the singer, remains strong after his death June 25. Around 1.6 million fans registered for free tickets to his memorial service, where 8,750 seats will be available to the public.

To prevent memorial tickets from being sold, organizers are taking what they describe as tough security measures, including requiring people to show their ID’s when picking up their tickets today. They are also fitted with wrist bands, which must be intact to get into the memorial service.

However, attendees also get a second ticket to bring a guest, along with an unused wrist band for them. The procedure for guest opens the door wide open to scalpers who hope to cash in.

To dispel questions about authenticity, some eBay sellers included photos of their tickets and purported unused wrist band. In one posting, the seller said the wrist band was loose enough to slip off his or her wrist and that the other one would fit anyone.

Craigslist, the San Francisco classified ad site, has also cracked down on Michael Jackson tickets through its community policing system. Users have flagged a succession of listings for memorial service tickets – priced up to $10,000 – that were generally removed albeit after a half an hour, or so.